The answer is clear though, once you get to Edelweiss. Walking into this lobby with the stone fireplace and rustic rocking chairs in front of it, I immediately felt a little more relaxed.
The lodge is beautiful, but the view is spectacular. These are the Alpine mountains, and they are stunning. This is the reason for traveling to Garmisch.
We would also be lying if we said we didn't love the food at the resort. German food is great, but sometimes we crave burgers, cheesecake, and giant towers of beer. It's German beer the American way: excessive!
This is how you feel after you finish your 3 liter tower of beer. I helped with some of it, but this was mostly Andy's accomplishment.
The first day in Garmsich was all about relaxation. We took Evan to the pool, then to the outdoor hot tub. I didn't think I would enjoy the hot tub so much, but I never wanted to get out of it. Even with the cold rain falling on us, it was still one the most relaxing soaks of all time. Saturday in Garmisch was all about seeing the sights. Andy really wanted to go to the top of the Zugspitze, the tallest mountain in Germany. The picture above is looking up at the mountain, waiting to get on the ski lift to the top. I don't think I can adequately describe the fear I felt waiting for this ski lift.
This picture explains it a little better. That tiny rectangle in the middle of the picture hanging from a cable is a gondola in which forty people stand and go straight up the side of 2,962 meter mountain (9,718 feet). To say that I have a fear of heights is an understatement. Not only am I afraid of heights, but I have this neurotic brain that comes up with disasters and then comes up with ways to solve these unlikely disasters (I believe this stems from becoming a mom and wanting to protect my child). This ride up the mountain was terrifying because I knew that, should something go wrong, there was nothing I could do to save us.
Right before we got on I wanted to run away, but I had told Andy that I would do it because we only live once. "Carpe Diem!" The ride up was so vertical and the lift was really swinging, so that by the time we got to the top, my legs felt like they could no longer carry my weight. I was actually glad to be packed in like sardines because I couldn't see the huge drop. When we got to the top and could see under the ski lift how far we had just traveled, I felt like fainting. I literally had to sit down and catch my breath. I was glad we did it, though, because the view from the top was better than I could have imagined. You can see nothing but miles upon miles of mountains. I'm sure somewhere we were looking into Austria, but from up there you can't tell where anything begins or ends.
Andy was happily taking pictures all around. He loved being up there. I'm always amazed that he has no fear of being that high in the air. I wish I could be more like him.
This is the true summit of the Zugsptize. I don't know why there is a gold cross up there, other than just to mark the very highest point.
This is us at the top. I was so scared to be that close to the edge, but facing that fear feels like some small amount of freedom. I would do it again. While we were looking out over the mountains, Andy and I were amazed by this huge crater in the middle, filled with snow, which looks perfectly crafted by God for the sole purpose of giving the people a place to ski! Andy so badly wanted to ski down. We will definitely go back and ski. I think the Alpine mountains will be the perfect place for my first time skiing.
The way down the mountain was much less scary. I was secretly relieved when Andy said we should take the train down to get a different view. (I still recommend taking the lift up to get the true feel of the height of the mountain!) Evan always enjoys a good train ride. He thought it was so cool that we were inside of the mountain.
Once we got out of the mountain tunnel, he had fun looking at the animal tracks in the snow. He and Andy were trying to guess what animals they could be from and Evan kept saying, "Those big ones are Bigfoot's tracks!"
After being on top of the world, I wanted to go to Austria to the Swarovski factory. Instead though, we decided a bike ride through Garmisch would be more fun. I am so glad we decided to do that!
We stopped on a little wooden bridge on the trail, and this is what we saw. The creek and the barns and the feel of being a part of nature made me feel like I could live in Garmisch and be totally content.
While on the bridge, we also saw this in the mountains. I had no idea what that could be, but Andy thought it was some kind of ski jump.
He was right! We saw the Olympic rings and there were even people up there taking a tour (our new camera thankfully has quite a good zoom!).
Neither of us knew that there had ever been Olympics in Garmisch, Germany, but we suspected sometime between the 50's and 70's. We were way wrong. This ski jump was from the 1936 Olympics! This picture is of a postcard from those 1936 Olympics and the ski jump. Andy found this and we were both shocked to see the Nazi flag under the Olympic rings. What a different time in German history! This was just before the war and all of the horrendous things that the Nazi party did. It was surprising to think that we stood in front of that piece of history. We finished the bike ride after about ten miles, tired and wet, but exhilarated.
On Sunday morning, we left Garmisch for home. Gladly, too, because it was snowing again, and we have had enough snow to last a lifetime. When we got home, Evan found that the Easter bunny had visited. He even left Evan a note saying that he hoped we had fun in the mountains, and that Santa and Jack Frost had helped him hide eggs around the house. (Being a parent during this magical time in a child's life is the best!)
Evan had fun finding the eggs. If you think that's a mini football in his hand, you're wrong. It's a huge chocolate egg. The Germans don't just know beer, they know chocolate! Perhaps they learned from their friends, the Belgians. This was a fun end to a memory-making weekend. We are all excited for our next trip to Garmisch. Evan even said at home, "Are we going back to the hotel room now?" :)
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